On Friday, March 8, 2019, Fillmore County Journal Publisher Jason Sethre attended the Midwest Free Community Publications (MFCP) conference in Des Moines, Iowa, and hauled back 17 awards in advertising, editorial, and digital categories; three more awards than last year.
The membership of MFCP encompasses 141 free distribution publications in nine states in the Midwest, including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
At the Friday night awards ceremony, the Fillmore County Journal received the following honors:
•First Place – Best Self Promotion
•First Place – Best News/Editorial (Best Original Editorial)
•First Place – Best Single Web Ad
•First Place – Best Home Page or Landing Page – www.fillmorecountyjournal.com
•First Place – Best Overall Website – www.fillmorecountyjournal.com
•Second Place – Best Grocery Ad (Separate Section)
•Second Place – Best Agricultural Ad (Separate Section)
•Second Place – Best Self Promotion
•Second Place – Best News/Editorial (Best Original Feature Story)
•Second Place – Best News/Editorial (Best Original Sports Story)
•Second Place – Best Single Web Ad
•Second Place – General Excellence
•Third Place – Best Single Ad (Black & White, Small Ads)
•Third Place – Best Automotive Ad (Black & White, Any Size)
•Third Place – Best Self Promotion
•Third Place – Best News/Editorial (Best Original News Story)
•Third Place – Best News/Editorial (Best Original Sports Story)
These awards reflect on the talent of the Fillmore County Journal team in the areas of editorial content, layout, advertising sales and design, and digital presence.
And, these awards would not be possible without the involvement of Journal readers and advertisers.
In January 2019, the Fillmore County Journal was recognized at the Minnesota Newspaper Association Better Newspaper Contest with four awards: First Place for website, First Place for grocery section for Harmony Foods, Preston Foods, and Rushford Foods; Second Place for Veterans Day Special Section, and Third Place for Headline Writing.
The newspaper’s website www.fillmorecountyjournal.com has earned two first place finishes at the Minnesota Newspaper Association convention in Bloomington, Minn., and the Midwest Free Community Publications conference in Des Moines, Iowa. The Fillmore County Journal’s website was created and is managed by SMG Web Design of Preston, Minn. – a separate branch of the Fillmore County Journal newspaper company.